Methods and network nodes for managing transmission of at least one channel quality report

Abstract

A radio network node (110) and a method therein for managing transmission of at least one channel quality report and a user equipment (120) a method therein for handling transmission of at least one channel quality report are disclosed. The radio network node (110) sends, to the user equipment (120), a first message comprising information about at least one resource for use by the user equipment (120) when transmitting the at least one channel quality report. The radio network mode (110) sends, to the user equipment (120), a second message for activating, in the user equipment (120), the transmission of the at least one channel quality report. The radio network node (110) receives, from the user equipment (120), a first channel quality report of the at least one channel quality report. The first channel quality report is received on the at least one resource on an uplink control channel.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method in a radio network node, wherein the method comprises:
 sending, to a user equipment, a first message comprising information about a resource for use by the user equipment when transmitting channel quality reports, the resource is for periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH); 
 sending, to the user equipment, a second message for activation, in the user equipment, the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on the PUCCH using the resource identified in the first message; 
 receiving, from the user equipment, at least a first channel quality report and a second channel quality report, wherein the first channel quality report and the second channel quality report are received on the PUCCH resource; 
 detecting existence of scheduled uplink transmission in a subframe; 
 based on the detected existence of scheduled uplink transmission in a subframe, sending, to the user equipment, a third message for deactivating, in the user equipment, the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on the PUCCH; and 
 after sending the third message for deactivation in the user equipment the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on the PUCCH, receiving, from the user equipment, a third channel quality report on the physical uplink shared channel (PUCCH), and 
 wherein the first or the second message comprises a first indication specifying a time period during which the periodic transmission is activated. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second message comprises a second indication for the activation of the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports, wherein
 the second message comprises downlink control information, which comprises the second indication. 
 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second message comprises a second indication for the activation of the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports, wherein
 the second message comprises a medium access control element, MAC CE, which comprises the second indication. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, from the user equipment, a capability message for indicating the user equipment's capability relating to periodic or a-periodic transmission of the channel quality reports. 
 
     
     
       5. A radio network node comprising:
 memory storing instructions; and 
 a processing circuit operable to execute the instructions to cause the radio network node to: 
 send, to a user equipment, a first message comprising information about a resource for use by the user equipment when transmitting channel quality reports, the first message is for periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on a physical uplink control channel, PUCCH; 
 send, to the user equipment, a second message for activation, in the user equipment, the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports by the user equipment on the PUCCH using the resource identified in the first message; 
 receive at least a first channel quality report and a second channel quality report from the user equipment, wherein the first channel quality report and the second channel quality report are received on the PUCCH resource informed in the first message; 
 detect existence of scheduled uplink transmission in a subframe; 
 based on the detected existence of scheduled uplink transmission in a subframe, send a third message for deactivating, in the user equipment, the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports by the user equipment on the PUCCH; and 
 after sending the third message for deactivation in the user equipment the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on the PUCCH, receiving, from the user equipment, a third channel quality report on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH), and 
 wherein the first or the second message comprises a first indication specifying a time period during which the periodic transmission is activated. 
 
     
     
       6. The radio network node according to  claim 5 , wherein the second message comprises a second indication for initiating the activation of the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports, wherein:
 the second message comprises downlink control information, which comprises the second indication. 
 
     
     
       7. The radio network node according to  claim 5 , wherein the second message comprises a second indication for initiating the activation of the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports, wherein:
 the second message comprises a medium access control element, MAC CE, which comprises the second indication. 
 
     
     
       8. A method in a user equipment for transmission of channel quality reports from the user equipment to a radio network node, wherein the method comprises:
 receiving, from the radio network node, a first message comprising information about a resource for use by the user equipment when transmitting the channel quality reports, the resource is for periodic transmission of the channel quality reports by the user equipment on a physical uplink control channel, PUCCH; 
 receiving, from the radio network node, a second message for activation, in the user equipment, of the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on the PUCCH using the resource identified in the first message; 
 sending, to the radio network node, a first channel quality report and a second channel quality report on the PUCCH resource indicated in the first message; 
 based on a scheduled uplink transmission in a subframe, receiving, from the radio network node, a third message for deactivating, in the user equipment, the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on the PUCCH; and 
 after receiving the third message for deactivation in the user equipment the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on the PUCCH, transmitting, to the network node, a third channel quality report on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) along with the scheduled uplink transmission in the subframe, and 
 wherein the first or the second message comprises a first indication specifying a time period during which the periodic transmission is activated. 
 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the second message comprises a second indication for initiating the activation of the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports, wherein:
 the second message comprises downlink control information, which comprises the second indication. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the second message comprises a second indication for initiating the activation of the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports, wherein:
 the second message comprises a medium access control element, MAC CE, which comprises the first indication. 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 sending, to the radio network node, a capability message for indicating the user equipment's capability relating to periodic or a-periodic transmission of the channel quality reports. 
 
     
     
       12. A user equipment configured to transmit channel quality reports from the user equipment to a radio network node, wherein the user equipment comprises:
 memory storing instructions; and 
 a processing circuit operable to execute the instructions to cause the user equipment to: 
 receive, from the radio network node, a first message comprising information about a resource for use by the user equipment when transmitting the channel quality reports, the resource is for periodic transmission of the channel quality reports by the user equipment on a physical uplink control channel, PUCCH; 
 receive, from the radio network node, a second message for initiating activation, in the user equipment, the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on the PUCCH using the resource identified in the first message; 
 send, to the radio network node, a first channel quality report and a second channel quality report on PUCCH resource received in the first message; 
 based on a scheduled uplink transmission in a subframe, receive, from the radio network node, a third message for deactivating, in the user equipment, the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on the PUCCH; and 
 after receiving the third message for deactivation in the user equipment the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports on the PUCCH, transmitting, to the network node, a third channel quality report on the physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) along with the scheduled uplink transmission in the subframe, and 
 wherein the first or the second message comprises a first indication specifying a time period during which the periodic transmission is activated. 
 
     
     
       13. The user equipment according to  claim 12 , wherein the second message comprises a second indication for initiating the activation of the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports, wherein:
 the second message comprises downlink control information, which comprises the second indication. 
 
     
     
       14. The user equipment according to  claim 12 , wherein the second message comprises a second indication for initiating the activation of the periodic transmission of the channel quality reports, wherein:
 the second message comprises a medium access control element, “MAC CE”, which comprises the first indication.